Folding table legs



W. C. RASTETTER FOLDING TABLE LEcTs Filed July 51, 1935 /0 Wm n 'gl II II July 28, 1936.

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flflga ALI? E 7 Q5 Ii I Q I t J -1 '9 3' 2 @WINVENTOR. by

I ATTORNEY.

Patented July 28, 1936 ATENT OFFICE 5 2,049,221 FOLDING TABLE LEGS William C. Rastetter, Fort Wayne, Ind.

vide a simple appliance for securing a folding leg in a table top frame and for holding the leg when either in its extended or folded position.

Another object is to so construct a securing device for holding a pivotal table leg in extended and folded positions that is substantially concealed within the table top frame. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a table top frame in which a folding leg, the mounting fixtures therefor and a lock for same are included, the leg being in extended position;

Fig. 2 is an elevation projected from Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a similar elevation projected from Fig. 1 with the leg shown in folded position.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention consists of a table top frame I, preferably of rectangular form of usual construction.- The illustrations here presented being fragmentary include only one corner of a table of the type to which the invention most suitably applies.

In each corner of the table top frame is secured a U-shaped bracket 2 by means of screws 3, and in said bracket is mounted a leg 4 provided with an angular plate 5 that is secured thereto by means of screws 6. The leg is pivotally secured in the bracket 2 by means of a lag-screw i that extends through the sides of the bracket, the leg and its plate 5, and with the threaded end of said lag-screw projecting into the adjacent wall of the frame I. The lag-screw constitutes a pintle on which the leg 4 turns, the pintle being located with respect to the leg at a point closely adjacent the top thereof and spaced substantially an equal distance from an adjacent inner face of the leg.

The plate has a slanting, backturned flange 8 that overlaps the adjacent inner face of the leg 4, and a spring-plate 9 is secured at one of its ends by means of screws in to the inner face of the wall of the frame I, and its other end has bearing relation with the flange 8 when the leg is in extended position whereby the leg is locked in such position. When thespring 9 is manually pressed against the inner wall of the frame I into the plane of the corresponding side of the bracket 2, the leg and its plate are freed from looking engagement therewith permitting 1935, Serial No. 34,055 (01. 311-99) the leg to turn upon its pintle into folded position.

The plate 5 has at a point adjacent its backturned flange 8 a slight embossment H adapted to project over the upper edge of the springplate 9 when the leg 4 reaches its normal folded position and thereby the leg is yieldingly held in such position aided by the pressure of the spring-plate against the leg-plate 5.

The frame I has secured thereon a top l2, which, together with the frame substantially conceals the connections of the legs with the table-top and the locking springs.

Operation To unfold the table, the legs are manually moved respectively upon their pintles with sufficient'force to overcome the restraint caused by frictional contact of the embossments H and the spring-plates 9, and the legs when moved to their normal extended positions, permit the free ends of the spring-plates to engage the corresponding slanting backturned flanges 8 on the plates 5, and thus the legs are held locked rigidly in their extended positions. Subsequently, when it is desired to fold the table, the individual springplates 9 are manually pressed against the adjacent inner faces of the frame I out of the planes of the plates 5 on the corresponding legs, thus permitting the legs to be manually moved to their normal folded positions. In this manner when the legs are extended and the table is in use, the legs are firmly locked and rigidly held in extended position, and when folded into the frame the legs are yieldingly sustained in folded position and concealed within the table Several features are characteristic of the invention. For instance: The pintle '1 is located at a point closely adjacent to the upper end of the leg 4 and the slanting backturned flange 8. Thus, when the leg is moved to its extended position, one outer face 5 of the plate 5 is forced against the inner face 2 of the bracket 2 by pressure of the free end of the spring-plate 9 against the flange 8. By this action rigidity of the leg, when in its extended position, is established.

Insome instances it is preferable to form the free end of the spring-plate 9 with an angular extension 9' that bears flatly against the outer face of the flange 8 which increases the contacting surfaces between the spring-plate and the flange which has a tendency to overcome the frictional wear between the contacting surfaces. In

V such instances, when the free end of the springplate is thus provided with an angular extension,

bracket, plate and leg secured in said frame,,

located at a point closely adjacent the top of the leg and spaced substantially an equal distancefrom said flange, and a spring-plate secured at one of its ends to the wall of the'frame, its opposite end having an angular extension that has bearing relation with said flange when the corre- V sponding leg is moved to extendedposition, there being a gain made in the frame for the reception of said extension when said spring-plate is moved to unlocking position. V V I V 2. In a table structure having folding legs, a

frame having atop thereon, a bracket secured in each corner of the frame, a folding leg provided with a plate secured thereto having a backturned slanting flange overlapping the adjacent inner face of said leg, a pintle extending through said bracket, plate and leg secured in said frame,

located at, a point closely adjacent the top of the leg and spaced substantially an equal distance from'said flange, and a spring-plate secured at one of its ends to the wall of the frame, its oppo- V site end having bearing relation with said flange to thereby lock said leg in extended position.

WILLIAM C. RASTE'ITER. 

